When Kamal Haasan changed his movie’s title after finding no support from Jayalalithaa Premium

Kamal Haasan faces opposition from politicians and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa over film Virumandi’s old title, leading to its change subsequently.

On May 29, 2025, while some Kannada activists had just stepped up attacks on versatile actor Kamal Haasan for his controversial remark that “Tamil gave birth to Kannada”, the Thug Life star faced a mild salvo in his home State, Tamil Nadu.

Puthiya Tamilagam party founder K. Krishnasamy objected to the film’s title. The politician contended that the term “Thugs” has been used historically to describe criminals, violent rogues and gangsters. The “Thugs and Pindaris” were violent criminal gangs during the 18th and 19th century, he said adding, naming a film with the title ‘Thug’ in a way glorifies such rogue way of life. Therefore, he urged the actor to avoid naming his upcoming film Thug Life.

Mr. Krishnasamy’s appeal had little resonance. But, there was a time when opposition from him had forced the actor to change the original title of his film.

In the summer of May 2003, when the actor’s name was spelt Kamal Hassan, he had unveiled his next venture with much fanfare in Madurai – Sandiyar. The film’s posters featured an aruval (machete).

Mr. Krishnaswami objected to the title and accused the actor-producer of trying to inculcate an aruval culture in Tamil Nadu. He wanted Hassan to abandon the project. “I will lead the agitation against the shooting of this controversial movie,” he declared.

The film’s shooting was halted. Initially, the actor tried to meet the then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa hoping to sort out the issue. However, she did not grant him an audience immediately.

Instead, Jayalalithaa told journalists “protracted” police protection cannot be given to a film unit, which, according to her, “deliberately chooses a controversial subject.” The duty of the police was to protect the law and order and the lives of the people and not provide protection for a protracted period for shooting a film, she said. The Chief Minister added, if the police had a “justified apprehension” that film shooting would create a law and order problem, they were well within their rights to refuse permission.